When the end is near...
🧠 Psych - 195/200
Hello Reader.
Today, we’re going to understand about a recent development about making choices from APA.
What is it?
In 8 experiments with nearly 6,000 participants,
Researchers explored whether people tend to prefer novel, exciting experiences, such as trying a new restaurant, or familiar ones, such as returning to an old favorite—and whether those preferences shift with the amount of time people believe that they have left to enjoy similar experiences.
They found evidence that it was not simply because the familiar experiences were a safe bet that participants knew they would enjoy, but also because they were more likely to find those familiar things personally meaningful.
“Our findings unveil nuance to what people really mean by ending on a high note,” said Winet. “Endings tend to prompt people to think about what’s personally meaningful to them. People like ending things on a meaningful note as it provides psychological closure, and in most cases old favorites tend to be more meaningful than exciting novelty.”
[Experiment]
What are you more likely to enjoy in Psych?
What do I need to know?
Previous research has found that, on average, people tend to opt for novel and exciting experiences over familiar ones.
They would rather enjoy a new movie than rewatch something they’ve already seen, for example, given equal access to both.
However, study authors Ed O’Brien, PhD, and Yuji Katsumata Winet, of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, suspected that “perceived endings” might affect those choices by nudging people to return to a meaningful old favorite.
References & Studies: -
https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/psp-pspa0000321.pdf